Psalm VIII

Coverdale's translation, 1535 as contained in The Great Bible (1539, 1561 etc.) and later in the Book of Common Prayer (1662)

1. O LORD our Governour, how excellent is Thy Name in all the world : Thou that hast set Thy glory above the heavens!

2. Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength, because of Thine enemies : that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3. For I will consider Thy heavens, even the works of Thy fingers : the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained.

4. What is man, that Thou art mindful of him : and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?

5. Thou madest him lower than the angels : to crown him with glory and worship.

6. Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of Thy hands : and Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;

7. All sheep and oxen : yea, and the beasts of the field;

8. The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea : and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.

9. O Lord our Governour : how excellent is Thy Name in all the world! 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

AMEN

 

The Geneva Bible (1560)

To him that excelleth on Gittith. A Psalm of David.


1 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the world! which hast set thy glory above the heavens.
 
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
 
3 When I behold thine heavens, even the works of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained,
 
4 What is man, say I, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
 
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and worship.
 
6 Thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thine hands: thou hast put all things under his feet:
 
7 All sheep and oxen: yea, and the beasts of the field:
 
8 The fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea, and that which passeth through the paths of the seas.
 
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

 

Sternhold & Hopkins Whole Booke of Psalms Collected into English Metre (1562, in common measure quatrains)

  1  O God our Lord, how wonderful
         are thy works ev'ry where!
      Thy fame surmounts in dignity
         the highest heav'ns that are.  

2  E'en by the mouth of sucking babes
         thou wilt confound thy foes;
      For in those babes thy might is seen
         thy graces they disclose.  

3  And when I see the heav'ns above,
         the work of thine own hand,
      The sun, the moon, and all the stars
         in order as they stand;  

4  Lord what is man, that thou of him
         tak'st such abundant care!
      Or what the son of man, whom thou
         to visit dost not spare!  

5  For thou hast made him little less
         than angels in degree;
      And thou hast also crowned him
         with glorious dignity.  

6  Thou hast preferred him to be lord
         of all thy works, and thou
      Hast in subjection unto him
         put all things here below. 

 7  As sheep, and neat, and all beasts else
         that in the fields do feed,
      Fowls of the air, fish of the sea,
         and all that therein breed, 

 8  O God our Lord, how excellent
         is thy most glorious Name
      In all the earth! Therefore do we
         praise and adore the same.